Pork Knuckle Boiled in Onion Skins

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you cook pork knuckle in onion skins? Gather all the necessary ingredients. A couple of handfuls of onion skins will be enough — that's roughly the skins from 10–12 large onions. My garlic cloves are very large; if yours are small, use more of them.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the onion skins well in cold water to wash off any dust and dirt.

3. Step 3:

   

   Then transfer the skins to the pot you'll cook the knuckle in. Use a large, deep pot. Cover the skins with clean water and add salt. Set it over the heat and bring it to a boil. Use a dark pot, since the skins dye it strongly and a light-colored pot would be hard to clean afterward.

4. Step 4:

   

   Then add the bay leaf and peppercorns to the pot.

5. Step 5:

   

   Place the pork knuckle in the hot water and return the pot to the heat. It's best if the knuckle is fully submerged in the water, but if it sticks out a little, that's no problem — you'll just need to turn it over once or twice while it cooks. Bring everything to a boil. Then cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and cook the knuckle for 1.5 hours. You can cook the knuckle in a pot or in a slow cooker.

6. Step 6:

   

   Let the cooked knuckle cool in the water (at least until just warm). This helps the meat take on the deepest color. Then take it out and blot the excess moisture from the surface of the meat with paper towels. Press the peeled garlic through a garlic press and rub it over all sides of the meat. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3–4 hours. The meat with garlic becomes wonderfully fragrant.

7. Step 7:

   

   By this time, the knuckle will have firmed up and is easy to slice for sandwiches. Enjoy!